Performance of granular activatedcarbon comparing with Activated Carbon (bagasse) biofiltration in wastewater treatment

Organic matters known as major problems in waste water. In this study GAC and Activated Carbon from Bagasse, agriculture waste, were used to treat organic pollutants from waste water. Bagasse waste are prepare activated carbons by zinc chloride activation under three different activation atmosphere, to develop carbons with substantial capability, and to compare efficiency with GAC for long period. The characterizations of activated carbon were studied by iodine number. The performance of activated carbon biofilter is influenced by many operational conditions, such as filter medium type and size, filtration velocity, filter depth and porosity. Even after a long time of operation (42 days), GAC biofilter consistently maintained an organic removal efficiency of 60% even with a shallow filter depth of 300 mm. The change of influent concentration also affected the organics removal in the GAC biofilter. The filters which were fed with wastewater of higher organic concentration had a better TOC removal efficiency because of the increase in organisms' activities as they receive more nutrients. The daily backwash to remove the solids did not affect the biofilm, and thus the organic removal. The GAC medium used in the biofilter led to better organic removal, as compared to activated carbon (from bagasse).